1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a method of preparing artificial or recycled soil. As is generally understood, topsoil erosion due to deforestation, over-farming, and poor soil management by farmers along with natural desertification are the root causes of many of our environmental problems. Topsoil comprises many distinct layers, the most important of which for the purposes of this invention are referred to in the art as the xe2x80x9cA-layerxe2x80x9d, the xe2x80x9cB-layerxe2x80x9d, and the xe2x80x9cC-layerxe2x80x9d. The A-layer is the uppermost layer and includes humus and microbial biomass mixed with small-grained minerals. The B-layer is below the A-layer and is characterized by an accumulation of clay particles. The C-layer is below the B-layer and includes unconsolidated parent material from which the A- and B-layers are derived among other naturally occurring ingredients. The C-layer includes little or no humus accumulation or soil structure development.
It is therefore my intent to treat the cause rather than the effect by creating an artificial soil to replace the lost natural soil or recycle natural soil in place in fields, groves, and any site that may need soil or where the already existing soil may need to be recycled. The product can be prepared in place or shipped to other locations. It is useful and practical as potting soil, in green houses, nurseries, gardens, for retail outlets, landscapers, farmers, silviculture, large scale reclamation such as landfills, strip mines, urban wasteland, superfund sites, highways, flood control levees, deforested areas, golf courses, sports fields and even in artificial environments in space and on earth. Pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and bactericides, can be included in the blend for specific site requirements.
2. Description of Prior Art
In the past there have been proposals for artificial soil, some of which currently hold patents in the United States. One of these patents, U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,604 (xe2x80x9c""604 patentxe2x80x9d), is, in my opinion, impractical for widespread use due to expensive, lengthy, and complicated manufacturing processes. Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,475, is mine. My invention solves these problems by using inexpensive existing technology, recycled materials, and simple manufacturing techniques. In the case of the ""604 patent, long periods of time and several locations are required, whereas with my process the ingredients can be mixed by hand or by using any of the equipment disclosed herein at one location in just a few minutes, producing, in effect instant soil.
The object of the invention is to produce an artificial soil from well known and easily obtainable substances. The loss of topsoil is a critical issue for the future of our national and global economies. By replacing lost topsoil we can continue to grow crops and forests indefinitely. We can replace and restore soil in every country and thereby feed the world""s expanding population. The ability to recycle soils will allow developing countries to help feed areas where agriculture is difficult. Civilization and soil fertility go hand in hand, cities and populations are dependent on soil fertility and when it declines civilization declines with it.
The first step in making an artificial topsoil, if you want to add mineral content, is to create a blending base. Materials suitable for a blending base include, either alone or in combination, river silt, dredged material, sand, basalt, rhyolyte, clay, mine tailings, residuals, or any natural or manmade, treated or processed, waste products applicable for use in making soils, pre-existing soil, soil taken from another location, any ordinarily depleted, eroded, or contaminated soil, or B-layer soil. This blending base can be placed on top of or combined with any C-layer.
Next, add cellulose in any form, composted or uncomposted, with composted human waste for mine and landfill type reclamation and composted animal manure for forests or natural areas with wildlife and for farms of all kinds. For a cleaner formula for gardens or potting soil, use vegetable or fruit residuals (the fruit or vegetable itself or its rinds or skins or seeds), bagged or loose.
Then add calcium or lime in any form, such as agricultural lime, quick lime or calcium phosphate, ammonium nitrate or sulfate, preferably but not necessarily mixed with water, and then charcoal or equivalent amounts of phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur as are present in charcoal. The concentration of ammonium nitrate or sulfate can be adjusted to achieve a desired ph, and is optional if animal or human bio-solids are used. This combination of materials replicates the mineral base, cellulose and animal and vegetable waste structure of natural soils.
Note that any of the above ingredients can be contaminated, decontaminated or uncontaminated.
Any soil type on earth can be duplicated by adjusting the blending base, and re-arranging the nutrient and mineral content so as to compensate for differing levels of each in any soil. This formula can be blended into any natural, manmade, processed, treated, contaminated or uncontaminated pre-existing soil or manufactured blending base. Alternatively, the formula can be blended by itself using the following equipment: any kind of plow, a pugmill or any commercial soil blender, a soil stabilizer, a roto-tiller of any size or type, a manure spreader, vehicles designed to spread soil additives, trommel type screens, cement mixer of any size or type, barrels, tubs, buckets, shovels, rakes, a hoe, or by hand. After the soil is blended, the local microbiotic life can be transplanted by gathering small amounts of local natural surface soil and inoculating by spreading over the blended area.